Clinic Philosophy

A talk about clinical philosophy with the Medical Director, Neevon Esmaili, M.D.

* for information about our other providers please see the providers page.

At our clinic we provide mental health assessment and comprehensive treatment plans that can include psychiatric medication, psychotherapy and support for lifestyle changes for a wide spectrum of mental illness. We feel it is important to consider all factors affecting each patient, including medical issues and life stressors, to determine the cause of the presenting symptoms.We view treatment as a partnership and shared responsibility with each patient, tailored to their specific situation, and offer gentle support for patient growth and work outside of the clinic.

Many of the evidence based and effective psychotherapies such as cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavior therapy include components that require the patient to challenge themselves outside of the therapy sessions independently with a variety of activities and mental exercises.

We believe that making changes where indicated in the patient’s lifestyle is important. Mental illness, much like chronic illnesses of the body such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can respond to lifestyle interventions. For example, it has been shown that exercise (as simple as taking a walk) can help ease mental health symptoms in some cases. Attempting to identify and modify causes for symptoms is part of our assessment and treatment approach that may also include psychiatric medication and psychotherapy.

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."– William James (1842-1910)

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."– Shakespeare (Hamlet)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need Psychiatric Services?

Some indications suggesting the need for psychiatric evaluation include severe symptoms of anxiety, depression, psychosis, and thoughts of harming oneself that would make it difficult to function in the workplace or at school. Another reason is when talk therapy (psychotherapy) has been ongoing for an extended period and yet symptoms remain persistent and difficult to manage. A board-certified psychiatrist can assess for the need for psychiatric medication to alleviate your symptoms. If you have additional questions, please feel free to call our office.

What Can I Expect on My First Visit to the Office?

Please fill out our new patient forms online in the patient portal before your visit, specific instructions are sent after you schedule your first appointment. Please be prepared to discuss your past medical history, and send via the patient portal medical documents including laboratory reports, progress notes. School report cards and psychological testing reports if applicable are also valuable. Bring in bottles of medication that are currently being taken. Conducting a comprehensive evaluation takes time, and additional sessions may be necessary before deciding on a treatment plan. It would be helpful if you talk freely about your symptoms and your past history, and specific questions will also be asked by your clinician to complete the assessment.

What is Mental Fitness Clinic’s Evaluation Process?

We will discuss a wide range of personal information from your past, including the symptoms that brought you to the clinic, and try to determine the environmental and innate factors involved in creating your condition. Your prior mental health treatments, family history of mental illness, general information about your living situation and social connections will also be discussed. Sometimes filling out a clinical questionnaire would be useful, and one would be given to you to be filled out either by the patient or the parent/teacher, as applicable. Referrals for proper medical assessment to rule out medical conditions or to safely prescribe medications may be indicated.

How Do I Know if Mental Fitness Clinic is the Right Fit for Me?

The medical director, Neevon Esmaili, MD, is a dual board-certified psychiatrist specializing in children, adolescent and adult mental health treatment. He has work experience with a wide range of cases. He has used his experience to select trusted clinicians to provide care in the clinic.

If you are suffering from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, are experiencing psychotic symptoms, among other conditions, then treatment can be provided.

Dr. Esmaili is able to provide psychiatric medications for mental health when required. Mental Fitness Clinic also offers a team of psychotherapists offering individual talk therapy, which typically consists of weekly 50-minute sessions.

Our treatment approach is to emphasize working hard with a psychotherapist (talk therapist, when it is appropriate for your needs) along with lifestyle interventions such as nutrition and exercise, possibly allowing for lower doses and fewer mental health medications (psychiatric medication may still remain a core treatment). Lifestyle interventions are not a mandatory requirement for being a patient in the clinic and are offered only as recommendations.

Neevon Esmaili, M.D. (Medical Director)

Dr. Esmaili is a board certified psychiatrist who completed his fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles, where he was named Chief Fellow. Dr. Esmaili works with a wide range of cases, with special interests in sports psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine (mind-body mental health), and ADHD.

Medical Disclaimer:

The information on this website is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat a medical or psychiatric illness. Diagnosis and treatment of medical and psychiatric illness can only be done by a licensed clinical professional, and Mental Fitness Clinic recommends consulting with a qualified healthcare provider for any questions or issues you may have.